PRO Missile Evo Aerobar Review

Jun 13, 2012
210,517

This is a piece I've wanted to review for a long time. Shimano is best known for their drivetrain components, like the Dura-Ace Di2 that has infiltrated so many high-end tri bike builds. But Shimano also makes a large line of other equipment, under their PRO brand. They make a number of different parts, but the most widely-used of these in the tri world has got to be the Missile EVO aerobar and its matching stem.

I'm going to start with the bad news: this is the most expensive aerobar system on the market. The bar retails for $1200, with the stem coming in at $350. And for that price, you don't get the lightest setup on the market, nor the most adjustable (although it's close, in both categories). What you DO get is something that is undeniably clean, sleek, and undoubtedly aerodynamic. And if you're running Di2, this is without a doubt the best aftermarket bar available. Only the Speed Concept bar does as good a job of internalizing components, but this bar works with any standard steerer, so you can put it on a P4, Shiv, etc.

The Missile Evo is probably the cleanest aftermarket aerobar today

The bar and stem can be used independently if you want - that is, the stem with a different bar, or the bar with a different stem. But they were born to be together, and conbine to make an incredibly elegant setup. The combination has been ridden to World Championship titles under Craig Alexander on his Specialized Shiv, and by Tony Martin on his HTC Shiv. These bars have also shown up on Scott Plasma builds, and Avanti's new bike, the Chrono Evo uses it and even borrows the Evo surname.

So what makes this bar so special? What's the draw? In short, the bar is the sleekest aftermarket bar there is, especially for use with Di2. And although it seems like a pretty simple setup, there is actually a lot going on that warrants a deeper look. Hit the jump and we'll get into its design and specs.